You can love it, hate it, work or waste time with it. Beyond its popularity or the controversy surrounding it (courtesy of its current owner), WhatsApp is synonymous with instant messaging, and it won't disappear overnight. In fact, many users out there wonder if it's possible to do without the smartphone and install the app on another device. More specifically, they want to know how to install WhatsApp on a tablet. Today we'll explain the process.
Facebook makes decisions, users raise a stink, and technically good products suffer the shrapnel. This describes the general situation of WhatsApp, which despite the storm will still undergo changes to its terms of use. However, most likely the messenger will manage to retain millions of installs, and recover a part of what it lost. There are many people who need to use WhatsApp one way or another.
Now, a classic drawback is its lack of flexibility. It is assumed that without a smartphone there is no access to the messenger, but in practice we know there are shortcuts. One of them is to use WhatsApp on PC with BlueStacks, emulating an Android device on the desktop. Another perfectly valid one is to install WhatsApp on a tablet. The official messenger page insists that this is not possible, but at the end of the day, it is just another Android app. The only non-negotiable requirement is a basic phone so you can receive an SMS with the verification code on your number.
Install WhatsApp on a tablet: Two methods
Download the WhatsApp APK from its official page
Some users are completely unaware of this detail: The WhatsApp page offers updated builds of its messenger for Android, without relying on official stores. Go to the bottom of the page, and in the Download section, enter Android. Tap the Download Now button, and wait to receive the APK. Remember that you must enable installation from unknown sources on your tablet, and when it's time to update later, the messenger will tell you that the build has expired.
Using alternative stores
The vast majority of tablets have no trouble browsing the content of the Play Store, but it is possible that WhatsApp does not appear in the results. That's when unofficial stores like Aptoide come into play. Search WhatsApp in its database, download the APK, and that's it.
Regardless of the chosen route, the rest of the process is identical to any WhatsApp installation: You open the app for the first time, set the country and phone number, and enter the verification code that will arrive on your temporary phone. Even if connectivity is limited to WiFi, installing WhatsApp on a tablet is an excellent alternative. Good luck!
